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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.orgAcharya Shri Kailashsagarsuri Gyanmandir
(XXV)
what the Pali with the minimum total 423 is the oldest corr of the Dhammapada and the Udānavarga with the maximum total 1000 (in round numbers) the latest. The cons which stands close to the Päli is the Sanskrit original of the Fa-kheu-king; the copy which is one degree removed from the latter is the Prakrit, while the Malāvastu Dhammapada and the Sanskrit original of the text portion of the Chuli-yan-king occupy in order two intermediate positions between the Prakrit text and the Udānavarga. Thie chronology cannot, however, be taken to be conclusive until it is further tested in the light of other evidences and harmonised with the general history of Buddhist literature and thought. The propose to examine these evidences under the following heads : (u) argument from the number and succession of
chapters.; (1) argument from the multiplication of particular
verses;
(c) argument from traditions. (a) Argument from the number and succession of chapters The four Indian copies of the Dhammapada of which the tables of contents are definitely known to us fall into tivo pairs, each showing a complete agreement in regard to the number and succession of chapters : (1) the Pali and the Fa-klieu-king origioal containing altogether 26 Chapters, and (2) the text portion of the original of the Chuh-yau-king and the Udānavarga containing 33. All these copies agree in so far as the succession of two closing chapters is concerned. For in each of themn the last chapter is the Brāhmaṇavagga and the last but one is the chapter on the Bhikkhu. Further, they must be said to resemble one another, inasmuch as they have many chapters bearing same titles. The two pairs differ, however, widely from each other regarding the order of succession of the remaining chapters, particularly that of the first three. As regarls the first pair of texts,
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